


Harry Potter and the Girl who Lived

by PixiePatronus2236



Series: Lily Luna Potter Series [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts - Fandom, Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Castelobruxo, Cerebral Palsy, Disability, Durmstrang, Gen, Hogwarts, Ilvermorny, Koldovstoretz, Mahoutokoro, Uagadou, United Kingdom, United States of America, Wizarding World, beuxbatons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:40:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24457615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixiePatronus2236/pseuds/PixiePatronus2236
Summary: Lily Luna survived against the odds. Now she is growing up with Cerebral Palsy in the wizarding world. Join her as she wobbles through life with the help of family and friends.
Relationships: Family - Relationship
Series: Lily Luna Potter Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1548109
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

Happy birthday dear Lily, happy birthday to you! 

The Weasleys sang out, celebrating the youngest member of the family on her first birthday. 

Harry and Ginny tried to keep the gathering intimate, family-only invites still resulted in over thirty people descending on their cottage. Lily’s birthday was 1st September, but they decided to hold the party a day early, so that they could bid Teddy a fond farewell before he left for Hogwarts the next morning. 

Amid all the commotion of pictures, cake and presents Lily started to cry; loud noises still startled her. Truth be told, her parents were crying too. For so long, they didn’t think they would see this day. 

As Ginny put her daughter down for a nap, she couldn’t help but reflect. This was a milestone birthday, but unfortunately, their little miracle had yet to reach many other milestones. She was incredibly alert, but her physical development was far behind that of her peers. 

After a lot of hard work she had learned to sit by herself and was getting better at reaching for objects, but she was still unable to even crawl, let alone pull to stand. 

Watching Roxanne run around the garden, Ginny decided that she owed it to her daughter to find some answers. 

~

As his wife re-entered the room, Harry caught her eye and bowed out of a very animated discussion about the Hogwarts Houses. 

“What’s the plan after we see Teddy off at King’s Cross?” Ginny asked. Harry explained that he had booked the whole day off to spend with the kids, as it would be his godson’s first time going to school. 

“Maybe Andromeda would take the boys for a few hours? I spoke with Ernie and they can see us at the hospital tomorrow afternoon.” 

Harry nodded grimly; there was no denying their daughter needed help. They had broached the subject before, but now the time had come to return to St. Mungo’s. 

~

Stepping onto the fourth flour was like deja-vu. Having lost consciousness after the attack, Ginny had no memory of her admission, or the extraordinary measures taken to save Lily’s life. But still, her body recalled the trauma. 

They had brought a thank you card and box of chocolates for the wonderful medi witches who had provided round the clock care to their youngest child for two and a half months. The staff gushed over Lily, commenting on how much she had grown and how beautiful her red hair was. 

As kind as they were, Harry was glad when they were called into Earnie’s office. Exchanging smiles and handshakes, they sat down. 

“What can I do for you today?” It was difficult to know where to start, but once she started they couldn’t stop; Lily was feeding well, but she was still small for her age.Sometimes she cried for no apparent reason, her sleeping pattern was off. Sometimes she was floppy, struggling to hold herself up. But more often she was oddly stiff; it could be difficult to change her nappy and she could not sit comfortably on your hip. Ernie listened quietly, nodding at intervals. 

“I see. Would you mind if I examined her?” 

Conjuring a table, he picked up Lily and laid her down gently. With another wave of his wand, a small hammer appeared out of thin air. Gently, he began to tap her lower extremities. Harry and Ginny were taken aback by what they saw; their daughter’s legs jerked painfully and she started to whimper. 

Ernie sighed. Looking at her, he was reminded of his own little girl, Amelia. “I’m sorry pet. Just a wee bit longer.” Setting the hammer aside, he pointed the wand at the base of her skull. 

A moment later, an image of her brain appeared, floating there. Ernie settled Lily into her grateful mother’s arms, before excusing himself, to confer with a colleague. 

The silence seemed to stretch on forever, but eventually he returned. Healer Macmillan explained that the scan showed an enlargement of the white matter near the ventricles; periventricular leukomalacia. It was brain damage, most likely caused by the curse she suffered in-utero. Though her tests at birth had come back clear, the nature of the injury meant that it might not show up on imaging for up to two months. 

“I believe this has caused Lily to develop diplegia cerebral palsy. It’s a neurological condition, characterised by stiffness and weakness of the lower limbs, balance and coordination issues.” 

There was a shocked silence, broken by the sound of Ginny’s sobs. She wasn’t sad; merely relieved to know what lay at the root of her daughter’s troubles. But she would cry many times over the next couple of days, not least at the news that Teddy had been Sorted into Hufflepuff.

After the initial disbelief had worn off, Harry was pragmatic. What would this mean for her future? 

Lily was still the same girl she had always been; he loved her and would do anything to help her reach her full potential. 

“Cerebral palsy.” Ginny tested out the words on her tongue late that night. After all, fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself.


	2. Chapter 2

The third of December dawned clear and bitterly cold. As the clock struck two in the afternoon, expectation hung in the air at Godric’s Hollow. Harry, Ginny and the kids were gathered around the fireplace. 

Father and sons went first; Albus had his father’s eyes and brown hair that flopped across his forehead. James had the messy black mop of his namesake and hazel eyes. 

As they climbed in, their mother reminded the boys to tuck into their elbows. The destination was drowned out by the rush of green flames. James and Al were used to it by now, but the noise and the heat often proved too much for their little sister, but needs must. 

Holding a squirming Lily very tightly, Ginny followed suit. 

She emerged into the kitchen at Shell Cottage, greeted by her brother. Lily had been on the verge of tears after the journey, but she cheered up at the sight of her uncle. 

Bill hugged them, grinning broadly when he was greeted by his niece with a “hello” that was as loud as it was clear. At two years old, her speech was developing rapidly, despite everything, much to her parents’ delight. 

Bill looked fantastic; better than Ginny had seen him in years. Obviously, being a father of three agreed with him. 

~

Entering the sitting room cosy sitting, Ginny joined her husband and kids, who were gazing enthralled at a bundle in Fleur’s arms. Depositing Lily into her father’s lap, Ginny edged closer to lay eyes upon her nephew.

Gently, Bill took his son from his wife and gave him to her. “Our little boy...Louis Arthur Weasley.” 

Unaware of the attention, the baby slept on, with Ginny marveling at the sheer size of him. It was to be expected, of course. He had been full term, weighing eight pounds and was now almost two months old. 

The latest member of the Weasley family had come to them after three heart-breaking miscarriages and years of hoping. As Ginny had explained to the boys, their cousin had not grown in their aunt’s tummy but in her heart. Bill and Fleur were special, because a young witch, unable to raise her child, had decided that they would be the best possible parents for him. Instinctively, James and Albus had understood-Teddy had taught them that family had very little to do with blood and much more to do with love. 

Bill and Fleur had been privileged enough to attend his birth in Paris. Afterwards, the family of five stayed at the Delacour family residence in the Cannes countryside to bond. Now, they had come home to Shell Cottage to celebrate Dominique’s birthday, and the Christmas season. They would be at the Burrow for Sunday lunch of course, but Ginny couldn’t bring herself to wait another two days before meeting Louis. 

The younger of her two nieces, Dominique joined them now. Her mother’s Veela heritage was responsible for her blonde hair and bright blue eyes, but the messy ponytail and scuffed trainers were all her own. 

At almost nine years old, she was keen to find out what the Potters thought of her baby brother. After some thought, James deemed him “kind of cute.” Dominique accepted this. Guessing what was in the gift bag the Potters had brought, she wondered if James would like to join her in looking for a ‘proper’ present for him. Found of beach-combing, or ‘treasure hunting’ as he was, James was eager to go and for once he did not object to wearing a coat. 

As it would get dark before long, Bill and Harry offered to go with them, eager for a brisk walk by the sea. 

~

As the most boisterous members of the group left, Victoire returned to her book. She was curled up like a cat in an armchair, apparently engrossed in the story. But Ginny noticed that every few minutes she would sneak a glance at her younger brother; she was obviously smitten with him. 

Albus sat cross-legged on the rug, apparently waiting for something. “Why don’t we show Louis what we brought?” Ginny suggested. 

As predicted, Albus pounced on the bag; he was eager to show off what they had chosen. But to Ginny’s surprise, he did not pull out the engraved Christmas ornament or the magical creature mobile. 

There was a sharp intake of breath, Victoire looked up suddenly. “What are those?” 

Albus was holding his sister’s leg braces, looking exceptionally pleased with himself. Ankle foot orthosis, or AFOs as her therapists called them, were hard plastic with Velcro straps, designed to encase her leg from the tip of toes to just below her knees. 

The splints were to be worn while weight-bearing, to hold Lily’s legs in the correct position and provide stability. As Lily wasn’t walking, they usually removed them after doing her daily exercises, but somehow they had found their way into her cousin’s welcome home gift. 

Taken aback, Ginny looked to her four year old for answers. Instead of looking at her, he turned instead to his auntie Fleur. “I thought he’d be bigger...But he can grow into them.” 

After some coaxing, Albus told all. He was under the impression that all little kids needed to put their AFOs on before they could move around. The last time they had visited the Granger-Weasleys, he had been aghast to discover that Hugo did not have any on under his shoes. Then, he resolved that Louis would not go without. After all, the Healers could easily provide Lily with a new pair. 

Fleur found it quite funny, but Ginny didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Oh Al.” 

On the mantle, she caught sight of a Weasley family photograph. “Everyone is made differently. Some people have blue eyes.” She pointed to Grandpa Arthur. 

“Some people have green eyes.” She pointed to Albus himself. 

Some people need glasses if their eyes are not very strong. And that’s OK; it’s just the way they are.” She pointed to his Dad and Uncle Percy. 

“Some people have skinny legs, some people have muscular legs. Some legs are great at dancing, some are better at running, but some legs prefer crawling.” 

Lily’s legs are not like Louis’ legs, or yours for that matter;when she was born, she hurt her head. That means that sometimes her brain doesn’t list won’t listen to her legs. Lily needs the splints to help her tell her legs what to do.It’s hard work, but she is doing her best. She might never be able to move around like you or James, but that doesn’t mean that she won’t go places. Isn’t that right, pet?” 

As if she had understood every word, Lily shrieked. “Yes!” Chuckling to herself. Ginny kissed her daughter on the forehead. 

But Albus was silent, his head cocked to one side, as he struggled to make sense of what he’d just heard. 

“No Weasley is the same. We come from different places, we speak different languages. Our bodies look differently and they work differently, but we are one family.” 

Watching Lily closely, Albus nodded sagely. 

The impromptu explanation was unexpected, but it was enough, at least for now.


	3. Chapter 3

“Mummy!” 

The voice of little Lily Potter could be heard from the kitchen. Ginny smiled.Playing independently was going about as well as could be expected. She knew by Lily’s tone that there wasn’t really anything wrong, her daughter just liked to get everyone involved in her games. Still, there were worse things than being vocal. 

“I’ll be there soon, love.” She called out. 

“Hold still James.” On the stool James squirmed as she oversaw the enchanted razor at work. Albus was already getting impatient for his haircut; their sister would just have to wait. 

~

In her room, Lily was getting increasingly frustrated. From her position on the floor, the three year old could not reach her favourite toy. She needed another guest for her tea party, but Mum had tidied up earlier, placing Hunter, the Hungarian Horntail, on the shelf. 

She was sitting on her bottom, with both legs bent and her legs facing away from her body. ‘W’ sitting, as her physio called it. Gazing at her stuffed dragon with longing, she tried to push herself into a kneeling position. 

They had been working on kneeling for the past several weeks and it was going well until she reached out to grab her teddy. Losing her balance, she toppled backwards onto the carpet. 

Shocked more than hurt, she did not cry. Instead, she shouted again “Mummy!” Why wasn’t she coming to help? 

But no sooner had the words left her mouth, than the dragon zoomed down from the shelf and landed in her arms. 

~

Ginny poked her head around the door a few minutes later, she found her daughter kneeling up to serve tea to the toys sitting atop her quilt. “Are you OK?” 

“I needed Hunter,” she explained. 

“And you got him, I see.” Ginny smiled. 

Yep. All by myself.” There was an unmistakable note of pride in her voice. 

Noting her excellent kneeling position, her Mum was pleased; it seemed to her that the hard work was starting to pay off. Little did she know.


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny, why don’t you sit down?” The voice of the ever-observant Audrey broke through her thoughts. 

The mother of three turned away from the back door of the Burrow, blushing guiltily. Harry had turned away to make tea and she had taken the opportunity to sneak glances across the lawn to where the girls were playing. 

Nine year old Molly was directing operations. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied back in a neat plait. 

Roxanne flicked a braid over her shoulder, listening intently. She had a mischievous streak, but even at six years old she knew better than to interrupt her cousin in full flow. 

Sitting cross legged in the audience was seven year old Rose, fiercely kind and covered in freckles. 

Another redhead was perched on a small wooden chair, with a silver walking frame beside her. Lily Potter was small and bespectacled, her auburn bob glinting in the August sunshine. 

With a sigh, Ginny dragged herself away and joined her husband and sister in law at the scrubbed kitchen table. 

~

“As I was saying...I’d be more than happy to take Lily on as well as Hugo. I think she will thrive in a familiar environment.” Audrey smiled sincerely, her blue eyes lighting up. 

Before she married Percy, Audrey had been Miss Smith of Hufflepuff. Though she had taken on a position at the Ministry of Magic, she had always been passionate about education and had volunteered to take on the task of teaching all the Weasley children at their home in Upper Flagley.

“Well, we had considered sending her to the local primary school.” Harry explained that Muggles with disabilities were entitled to receive an education. In the nearby town, their daughter could have an assistant who would help her with tasks in and around the classroom. If needed, she could have specialist learning support. 

But the real reason behind the uncertainty hung in the air. It wasn’t so much that they were worried about her being unable to write down her sums or struggling to get to the loo. They were sure that Audrey would find a way for her to be included in outdoor games, arts and crafts. It was a question of difference. At almost five years old, their youngest had shown no signs of magic. It was unknown if she ever would. After all, she had suffered a curse at the hands of a resentful squib advocate who wished to make their plight more prominent. 

The Potters knew they would love their daughter no matter what. For now, she was at home in the wizarding world, but for how long? If they enrolled her in Muggle school from the start, perhaps she wouldn’t be excluded and displaced in the coming years. 

~

As they were mulling it over, the back door opened and the discussions were drowned out by chatter and giggles. 

One by one the girls filed in, with the two redheads bringing up the rear. For Lily, tired after an afternoon’s play, every step was an effort. Yet she persevered, pulling the silver frame behind her. 

She came to a stop in front of her parents. Standing on tiptoe with crouched knees, she used her arms to balance. “Did you have fun with your cousins, petal?” Harry asked. 

“Uh huh. We played school.” She said happily. 

Molly spoke up from beside her mother. “I was the teacher. She was my best student.”

At that moment, they knew what they had to do.


	5. Chapter 5

The 28th of February was circled on the Potter family calendar for almost a month beforehand. For Ginny and Harry, it represented the day that she would go to St. Mungo’s for spasticity treatment. But for five year old Lily, it meant Roxanne’s birthday and a party at Florean Fortescue’s shop in Diagon Alley.

Ever since Lily’s diagnosis, Hermione had been researching on their behalf. It was she discovered that Muggles injected a serum into various tendons of people with Cerebral Palsy to temporarily relax them.

After plenty of research, the Healers brewed a potion that they hoped would mimic the effects. After so long waiting, they did not want to cancel the appointment. Instead, they had asked Ernie to give them a morning slot. She was going to be tired and sore no matter what, but if the party proved too much to handle, then they would wish Roxie well and get some ice cream to takeaway.

Lily was so brave. Ginny and Harry held her still; she whimpered as the pink potion was injected into her hamstrings. Ernie explained that the effects would wear off after three months. Three hours later, she left the hospital in good spirits.

~

They travelled to The Leaky Cauldron for a quick bite to eat before setting out for the ice cream parlour. Conscious that being carried for a longer period might cause discomfort, Ginny conjured the buggy for her to sit in. On a blustery Friday afternoon, the streets were bustling. Every so often they would pause so Lily could peer at the window displays. Crowds passed them, with lingering looks and whispers that were too loud.

It was fairly unusual for wizarding parents to use a pushchair. Though their mode of transport wasn’t the reason for all the staring. A few months ago Rita Skeeter had written a ridiculous article. Under the guise of discussing criminal law reform, she had made several sly comments about the Head of the Auror Department and his daughter’s absence from public life. As far as she was concerned, the Potters were ashamed of their daughter, who had been left crippled in body and mind by a mysterious curse.

They were still seething over the incident and the fact that so many people appeared to believe what they read. Skeeter had reached a new low, writing such nonsense about small children. Their daughter was not some freak show to be pitied. She was a beautiful, bright, little girl with an infectious laugh, who loved nothing more than to snuggle up with her brothers for story time. She deserved dignity and respect. She deserved to live out her childhood in peace, eating ice cream with her cousins.

~

”Freddy, who’s that?” Lily jerked her head towards the counter, where a little black girl sat, swinging her legs. She wore the most beautiful turquoise robes and sparkly shoes.But it wasn’t her feet that fascinated the five year old, rather it was the way her fingers moved in time with her facial expressions. Though she did not say a word, her companion seemed to understand her perfectly, as he employed similar gestures. 

Fred Weasley looked not at the girl, but at the man beside her. Where Fred had a head of corkscrew coils, the man’s head was partially shaved. He wore a candy striped apron with the Florean Fortescue logo. “That’s Mr. Zabini and his daughter- he owns this place.” Fred explained, licking his chocolate and raspberry cone. He watched as Isla Wood ran past, closely followed by Rhea Jordan, determined to make the most of the temporary sugar rush.

Lily watched them with interest from the booth, enjoying her bowl of strawberries and cream flavoured dessert. Her fine motor skills were somewhat affected by her condition, so mastering utensils had taken longer than expected. Her fingers were sticky, as was her chin, but for the most part she was managing well. Lily nodded. After a moment she asked. “What is she doing with her hands?” In response Fred surveyed the pair properly, before turning to his cousin. “I reckon they’re using sign language.” Lily looked puzzled so he elaborated. “If you are Deaf or cannot hear very well, then you can learn to speak with your hands and listen with your ears. Dad learned some after he lost his ear.”

Lily found this information very interesting indeed.

~

Two days later, Lily approached her Uncle George with a proposition. This resulted in the two of them sneaking off to different parts of the Burrow every Sunday, supposedly to practice for a top-secret project. “Practice what?” Ginny inquired, her eyebrow raised. George merely chuckled. “Never you mind little sis. My niece and I have big plans!” He rubbed his hands together in a mischievous way. 

Sometimes when Harry walked into the room, his daughter would stop what she was doing very suddenly, as if caught red-handed. As the weeks wore on they wondered, but Lily did not breathe a word. Finally, one afternoon in the middle of April, Lily asked to visit Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley Her parents had no reason to object and so James and Albus tagged along. But rather than ask for a tour of the shop or demonstrations of the latest products, Lily was no sooner in the door than she requested that they go get ice cream instead. Harry was about to refuse, but George spoke up.

“Why of course. If it’s ice cream the little witch wants, then it’s ice cream she shall have. My treat!” Angelina and the kids came too, with George and Lily leading the procession down the street. When they arrived at the parlour, Ginny undid the safety straps and folded Lily’s buggy with a flick of her wand. She was just about to help her into the booth when George suggested that they walk to the counter so she could pick out her favourite flavour and toppings. He placed his hands on her hips and supported her to take several steps. Lily wobbled once or twice, but she did not give up. 

When they reached the other side of the room, Lily held tightly to the edge of the counter. Mr. Zabini opened his mouth to welcome them, it snapped shut when Uncle George started to sign. The shop owner raised his eyebrows, whether in shock or suspicion but eventually he gave a short nod. Then he disappeared into the back room, returning a few minutes later with his wife, a woman with cropped black hair and long earrings. Trailing behind them was their daughter, dressed in yellow. Before long, the two girls were standing face to face. George was holding Lily up again, so that she could have her hands free. Tentatively, she started to communicate using British Sign Language. 

_Hello. What’s your name?_ For a moment, they were unsure if the little girl had understood. After all, Lily’s movements were far from perfect. She did not have spasticity in her upper extremities, though her hands were weak and clumsy. After a few moments the Zabini girl responded. 

_My name is A-S-H-A._

Now, it was Lily’s turn. Instead of going letter by letter, she used the sign for a flower. It was painstaking work, but she persevered. _Asha, would you like to get some ice cream with us?_

Asha beamed. It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have the same kind of CP as Lily. I have always struggled with my fine motor skills, in college I learned a couple of signs from a friend who was taking a course. I’m sorry to say I’ve forgotten most of them now, so apologies for not describing individual signs better. but the visual aspect of the language is amazing. I always thought George became hard of hearing after the flight of the 7 Potters and it was Fred’s idea to learn some basic BSL, which they used to communicate on Order missions, as well as in everyday life. As far as I’m concerned, Blaise Zabini married Tracey Davis and they had 3 daughters, all of whom were named after characters from Beedle the Bard’s Fountain of Fair Fortune. Asha’s condition was a malady that no Healer could cure; she was born Deaf, as her mother suffered from Dragon Pox during pregnancy (German Measles).


	6. Chapter 6

It was almost midnight when Harry finished the budget proposal he had been putting off all evening. Vanishing the file, he resolved to make a cup of tea before bed. 

As the kettle came to a boil, he heard a terrible crash from the hallway. This was followed by an unmistakable cry. 

“Lily? What’s wr-?” A moment later he saw her sprawled on the ground halfway between her bedroom and the downstairs bathroom. 

Falls were nothing new for the youngest of the Potter children. At six years old, she fell at least five times a day. But barefoot in the dark she had landed at an awkward angle on the hard tiled floor. 

Even as she lay there with tears in her eyes, the first words out of her mouth were an apology. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” 

As he knelt down and checked her over for injuries, Harry saw that her pyjama bottoms were soaked through with urine. Instinctively, he understood what had happened.

Lily had been toilet trained for over two years, but every so often she had an accident. Unfortunately, bladder and bowel control was an issue for lots of kids with Cerebral Palsy. Sometimes she did not realise she had to go at all, when she did get the urge it came on suddenly and she didn’t always make it to the loo on time. 

“Nothing to be ashamed of. Happens to the best of us.” Lily gave him a look that said she didn’t believe him. 

~

“Let’s get cleaned up, shall we?” Leaving her tripod crutches lying on the ground, he gathered his daughter into his arms. Rather than take her to the nearby shower, Harry carried her upstairs to the bathtub. 

In the warm water, he felt her relax, but it wasn’t until the bubbles appeared that he saw the ghost of a smile. The bruises were a problem for another day. After a couple of minutes he left her sitting there, contemplating the function of a rubber duck. 

“I'll be back soon, OK?” He took the PJs and promised to bring up her Holyhead Harpie ones. 

~

Down in the kitchen, he was scrubbing the garments by hand when he heard a loud crack. Lost in thought, he did not turn around immediately. 

Though she had just come from a night out with the girls. Ginny slipped easily into Mum mode. “What are you doing that for, silly?” She used magic to wash and dry the nightwear in an instant. Harry was still searching for an answer when his wife returned carrying a fresh pair of pyjamas. 

He thought of the Dursleys, putting his nose in his own filth after yet another nightmare. Anger rose in his throat as he choked out the words.

“She blames herself...But nobody should be punished for something they can’t control.” With a soft sigh, Ginny stroked his cheek, before climbing the stairs to help their beloved little girl.


	7. Chapter 7

One blustery afternoon, the Weasley cousins gathered in Madam Puddifoot's for a very special afternoon tea. Though autumn was in the air, the girl of the moment had insisted on a floral theme. Lily Potter was seven years old. 

As everyone helped themselves to scones and miniature sandwiches, Hermione glanced over at Audrey, who held three year old Lucy on her lap. 

“Feels just like yesterday, doesn’t it?” Hermione murmured. 

Ginny nodded. It was difficult to wrap her head around the fact that their daughter had been in the world for a grand total of two thousand five hundred and fifty-five days. 

Lily was a firecracker; passionate, determined, kind, curious. She had inherited her mother’s temper and her father’s sense of humour, but there was something about Lily Luna that was all her own.   
  
~

Standing on the platform waving James off to Hogwarts for the first time, the Potters had felt a strange mix of joy and sorrow. 

They were so proud of their eldest child, but they couldn’t help but wonder if Lily would get the chance to follow in her brothers’ footsteps. 

Frustrated by his early bedtime, four year old James had managed to reset all the clocks in their home at once. Five year old Albus had been terrified to put his head underwater while learning to swim, only to discover that he could hold his breath for five whole minutes. 

Salazar Slytherin had suggested that an indicator of Pure Blood status was the onset of magical ability before the age of three. Of course, the Department of Mysteries had disproved such nonsense, but seven was still considered to be the typical age at which a young child’s powers, if any, would be revealed. Unfortunately, Lily had shown no sign yet and time was running out. It wasn’t until today that she noticed the way that Hogwarts castle seemed to loom over the village, so near and yet so far. 

~

“Who wants cake?” Her husband’s impeccable timing saved her from any further wallowing. There was a cheer from the kids at the prospect of Mrs. Weasley’s red velvet sponge. 

Harry appeared, levitating the cake in front of him. Ginny dimmed the lamps and the seven candles shone in the semi-darkness as they started to sing. 

“Make a wish, petal.” He set the cake in front of her. Dutifully, Lily closed her eyes, took a deep breath and blew hard.   
  
~

Afterwards, Madam Puddifoot found them a knife and a stack of plates. Lily was presented with a generous slice, candle and all. But rather than pick up her fork, the little girl remained still, her eyes squeezed shut in concentration. 

Harry was so busy watching her that it took him a few moments to realise that the wick was alight once again. 

But that was impossible. He knew that Muggle candles sometimes reignited if they weren’t properly extinguished, but these ones could only be lit by magic. 

Glancing around, he spotted Ron, who was known for spoiling his nieces and nephews, holding his wand aloft. “Oi, Weasley! One wish only, I’m afraid.” 

“Sorry mate?” Harry saw that he was in fact just conjuring more napkins for Hugo. 

Perplexed, he turned to his daughter, who was about to blow the candle out again. “Lily...Who lit the candle for you?” He caught Ginny’s eye, but his wife shook her head.

The little girl shrugged. “Daddy, can I have another wish? My first one didn’t come true.” There was a note of pleading in her voice. 

Ginny chuckled. “Maybe give it a few minutes, love.” 

Lily looked wounded. “But I want to go to Hogwarts right now!” 

~

Harry was taken aback by her forceful tone. He was conscious that every member of the family was watching them closely. 

“So...You want another wish? Go ahead.” Once again she closed her eyes and blew. He watched in amazement as the candle went, only to reignite exactly seven seconds later. 

She wished again and again, but the candle stubbornly relit every time. Eventually, Lily called a halt to proceedings. “This is stupid! Why won’t the magic work?” She searched her parents’ faces for answers, but they were in shock. 

A voice spoke up from the corner of the room. It was Neville Longbottom, Albus’ Godfather and a member of the school’s Herbology Department. “Oh I reckon the magic did.  _ Your _ magic that is. Lily,” 

As they left the café, Neville lifted her into his arms to catch a glimpse of the castle in the distance. Four years was a long time, but some dreams were worth waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The information on Slytherin’s beliefs comes from JK Rowling’s original writings on the term “Pureblood.” See the Wizarding World website for more details.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey, Al!” Lily called out to her older brother, as he passed her room on the way to the loo. As she spoke, her muscles tightened and her mother urged her to keep still while she secured her left leg. 

Now eight years old, her physiotherapist had suggested wearing AFOs at night as well as during the day, to maintain a good foot position. Every other night, she wore knee immobilisers to stretch her hamstrings. 

Her brother slouched in the doorway, bored by the bedtime ritual. Lily turned to look at him. “Will you read to me?” 

If Ginny was taken aback, she tried not to show it. Lily was a very brilliant reader. If anything, she was more confident than Albus, despite his being two years ahead academically.She devoured books like there was no tomorrow. Last year, she had stopped asking for her parents to read aloud to her. So why ask her brother now? 

Albus shrugged. “Why don’t you just do it yourself?” Without waiting for an answer, her older brother did something he had been doing a lot lately. He walked away, leaving Lily behind. 

~

After tucking in her daughter, Ginny offered to read a story. The youngest Potter child chose The Fountain of Fair Fortune. Lily had grown to love it in recent years, after learning that her friends, the Zabini sisters who were named for the fair maidens. Lily enjoyed happy endings. But she was only enough now to realise that life was not a fairytale. After Asha had been cured by the special potion, Ginny closed the book with a sigh. 

“I love you just the way you are.” She planted a kiss on her daughter’s forehead. 

“I love you too Mum,” she murmured. 

~

Three hours later, Harry returned from the office. After hearing about the reading incident, he decided to check on Lily. 

He was surprised to find her wide awake, watching him standing in the doorway. 

“You OK, Petal?” He lit his wand and entered the room. 

“Can’t sleep,” she whispered. She pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing in the process.

Lily tended to curl up in the fetal position while sleeping. Lying still was fine, but when she went to change position the spasms would start and the shooting pains could last for what felt like hours. They weren’t as bad as clonus, but occasionally tears still pricked the edge of her eyes. Though exhausted at the end of the day, she struggled to sleep through the night. 

Rather than tell her off, Harry lit his wand and offered yet another story. Reading The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, he knew in his heart that he would go to the end’s of the earth to see Lily happy and well. 

She had grown half an inch in the last month or so. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to throw her off balance completely; she was falling more often now, as the crouching worsened, despite their best efforts with daily stretching. Older now, Lily could put into words the pain she was experiencing. Harry and Ginny dreaded the damage that spasticity would do to her body over time.

~ 

Last month, James had returned to Godric’s Hollow for Christmas break. He woke at 2 AM to get a glass of water, only to discover his little sister sitting up in bed, talking to herself, searching for a distraction in the darkness. James knew that she was forever imagining things, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she ever imagined herself without a disability. Try as he might, James struggled to see his sister without her walking aids. For as long as he could remember, she had been different. But what did the future hold?


	9. Chapter 9

At three o’ clock in the afternoon one fine October day, the Potters fell out of the sky and landed atop the roof of an apartment block in Brooklyn, New York. 

Lily lay sprawled on the concrete for several minutes. When her world stopped spinning, she blinked, locking eyes with a little boy. 

A familiar voice called out. “Lorcan, give her some space.” Then, she felt a hand on her back as Luna crouched down to help her into a sitting position. 

An hour later they were sitting in the Scamanders’ kitchen. Munching on a toasted cheese sandwich, Lily took in her surroundings while the adults talked. The interior was quirky and yet everything fit together perfectly. The photographs told of globetrotters, chasing fantastic beasts together. 

Rolf was an amicable host; a wiry man with a tawny beard and weather-beaten hands, his eyes crinkled when he smiled. 

The twins perched on the kitchen counter. The five-year olds were not identical but they both had tousled red brown hair and blue eyes. Lorcan’s hair was slightly longer and he did not bother with shoes. 

“Mama, let’s show Lily her room,” Lysander suggested. Lily smiled, for she had just been thinking how much she would like to lie down. 

She knew that the younger of the two was a legilimens. But she had forgotten his tendency to take the words right out of your mouth. He was not, as Ginny patiently explained, a mind-reader, but rather a very empathetic little boy who instinctively tuned into the same wave-length as those around him. 

Their guest room had been enlarged using magic, with a wall constructed between Lily’s space and that of her parents. 

She collapsed on the queen-sized bed with a contented sigh. Unpacking could wait. After all, this was no vacation, as the Americans called it. The Potters were on a quest to change their daughter’s life.

~

By Monday morning Lily was none the worse for her transatlantic journey. After breakfast they set out for Merlin Medical Centre in Manhattan. It was a huge hospital, a hive of activity. 

For months, the Potters had searched for a treatment for their daughter’s Cerebral Palsy. Not a cure, but a long-term solution to manage her condition and reduce her pain. Preferably one that did not involve taking daily potions or enduring regular injections. They had contacted Healers across the world and had come to America with hope in their hearts. 

As the Healer explained, those who had their body parts cursed off might have them replaced with a magical prosthetic. But in Lily’s case, brain damage caused her muscles to perpetually contract. So, he proposed spinal surgery, to sever the affected sensory nerves; this would permanently relax her lower extremities, allowing her to build strength, improve her balance, and gain a more typical gait pattern. The procedure itself was modelled on one that had been performed on Muggle children with great success for almost thirty years. 

That day the medical team did various tests, marking the incision spot on her back. Lily had her range of motion measured and her pre-op abilities assessed, carrying out various tasks with and without her AFOs on. 

On Thursday, the Potters woke before dawn. Luna hugged her Goddaughter tightly. 

Ginny downed her mug tea in record time and Harry gave his daughter a piggyback into the fireplace, noting just how stiff her legs were. 

As they checked in, the patient found herself feeling scared. She had been so excited, but now she couldn’t help getting tears. 

Thankfully, the staff were wonderfully kind and soon she was being called down to the operating theatre. 

Her parents walked with the porter to the double doors. There, her father squeezed her hand and her mother stroked her face. “Be brave, petal.” 

Gowned up on the trolley, she was asked to swallow a bright red potion and count backwards from ten. Before long sleep came, and with it a new beginning. 

~

Hours later, Lily blinked drowsily at the mediwitch in recovery, who kept loudly insisting that she wake up.

The nine year was far too tired, why couldn’t the annoying American just leave her alone? Lily closed her eyes, but before long she heard her father’s voice. 

“How is she?” He sounded exhausted; a bundle of nerves. 

“See for yourself,” Cathy murmured. She drew back the blankets to stroke her feet. This was the moment of truth. Would she be paralysed? Incontinent? 

“Did it work, Daddy?” For a split second he failed to register the small, sleepy voice, so taken aback as he was by the unexpected joy of seeing her pale pink toes wiggling like never before.

~

For the next seventy-two hours, Lily lay flat on her back, numb and drowsy. After measuring the level of dark magic emitting from each rootlet, two-thirds of her sensory nerves had been severed by Healer Pye using a sharp instrument called a scalpel to minimise the likelihood that they would not magically regenerate. Under this experimental protocol, it was imperative that Miss Potter be allowed to heal naturally. As such, potions were for pain management only. She slept, occasionally asking for a sip of apple juice. 

On the morning of the third day, her parents watched in agony as the therapist helped her to sit up. Morgan was sweet, but firm, with black curly hair and dimples. 

The pain was was jarring; Lily whimpered and cried, begging to stop. Struggling to hold her head up, she was ghostly pale and dizzy, her brown eyes After half an hour, she went back to bed for a nap. It seemed to Lily that the ordeal was barely over, but it wasn’t before long her father was gently lifting her into the pushchair to head down to the gym for some gentle stretches. 

On the fourth day, after breakfast, she was wheeled out to the rooftop garden for some fresh air. The difference in a day was unbelievable, but it was still a monumental effort to get on all fours. 

After lunch a specialist came to cast her for new AFOs; midnight blue with silver stars. 

Day five was discharge day. Lily managed some standing and high kneeling as well as a couple of very wobbly steps. Her legs were like jelly. 

~

After five days Healers gave the all-clear, they returned to Brooklyn, receiving a warm welcome from the Scamanders, armed with balloons and hand-made cards. 

Over the next couple of months, the apartment would become their second home. Each day they undertook the pilgrimage to the hospital for physical therapy. Her parents took it in turns to do her exercises, morning and evening. 

At first, Lily found her sudden lack of independence frustrating, but over time the pain ebbed away, she got stronger and more mobile. 

She looked the same, except for the small scar on her spine, but Lily felt like she was starting from scratch; as the spasticity was stripped away, she had to learn to use her legs all over again. 

It was hard work, but they found time for fun as well; visits to Central Park and various museums. They had front-row seats to the strange game that was Quodpot, cheering on the Arizona Thunderbirds. 

One Thursday, after an early session at the hospital, during which they received her new splints, they set out shopping for new trainers. After much trial and error they settled on the right pair and Lily’s patience was rewarded with a trip to Build-A-Beast.

~

Sometimes Lily got terribly homesick; they wrote letters to the Weasleys and used a two-way mirror to speak with James and Albus at Hogwarts. She missed her cousins, but had found a friend in Rebekah Goldstein, daughter of her father’s former classmate, who lived nearby. 

Then of course there were the twins. 

Lysander was curious, asking a thousand questions. He was always ready to dive in, head-first. 

Lorcan was more pensive, sitting in contented silence for an hour or two at a time, engrossed by his latest project. But every so often he would approach their guest, shyly offering a drawing or a toy for her approval. 

~

A huge part of life in the Scamander household revolved around eating. At least three times a day Rolf or Luna would disappear to the roof of the apartment building for feeding time. More often than not, the boys would tag along. 

As it transpired, there was a magical menagerie there; enchantments had been used to recreate the natural habitat of many creatures, rescued and nurtured back to health by the family over the years. 

Lily begged and pleaded to go with them. The night before her spinal surgery, her parents relented. Stroking the pinkish blue feathers of a diricawl proved a delightful distraction from fasting and youngest Potter child felt her nerves settle as a niffler nibbled her fingers. 

In the days following discharge, Lily struggled to get her daughter to eat. The potions suppressed her hunger and the hospital food did not help. She had always been a little slip of a thing, but with a healthy appetite. Just as Ginny was starting to worry about her lack of energy, Rolf suggested they take a trip. 

At Kowalski’s, the warm air was filled with a heavenly mixture of sugar and spice. Lily watched mesmerised as the bakers kneaded and folded, turning dough into delicious treats. 

As they entered, an elderly woman came out of the storeroom. Poised and elegant though she was, her smile said that there was nowhere she would rather be. 

“Well isn’t this wonderful?” Lorcan darted forwards, wrapping his arms around the legs of the woman he introduced as his great-great aunt, Queenie. 

After all the adults had said hello, she crouched down in front of Lily, who was sitting in her pushchair.

“Sweetie, what can I get you?” 

Lily did not know what to pick, so the kindly woman offered her a family favourite; a pączek with raspberry jelly. 

According to. Queenie, it was a recipe passed down the generations; her husband’s grandmother made them for him, in turn he made them for their children, if they were ever having a rough day. 

As Lily bit into the doughnut, she felt better than she had all week. 

~

Time ticked along. Lily’s therapy sessions were filled with everything from obstacle courses to stair-climbing. Rehabilitation was incredibly hard work, but every day got a little easier. 

To begin with, she had some spasms, but they stopped after a week or so. Despite wearing knee immobilisers and AFOs, Lily slept soundly, having dozed off with the help of a good book.

Each day Lily was pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities; trying her best and learning to find balance. 

Instead of Nana Molly’s Sunday roast, the Scamanders ate together on Friday nights, after Rolf and his sons had returned from Synagogue; challah, matzo ball soup and brisket. It was different, but Lily was learning that sometimes change was often for the better. 

~

Just as she was recovering from the first procedure, Healer Pye recommended orthopedic surgery. Unfortunately, years of living with spasticity had caused permanent contractures in Lily’s hamstrings as well as her Achilles’ tendons. Morgan said that no amount of regular stretching alone would give her muscles a normal range of motion. And so, Healer Lopez was called upon to work her magic. 

Though the second recovery caused a major setback, watching her daughter stand with straight knees and flat feet for the first time ever, Ginny knew it was the icing on the cake. 

As Halloween came around, she did some wonderful walking from door to door in the apartment building. Trick or treating wasn’t a wizarding tradition, but the lower floors were inhabited by Muggles who seemed quite happy to part with their sweets. 

Lily took the event in her stride, wearing her chartreuse robes and matching hat. It gave her a thrill to proudly announce to passers-by that she was a witch, if only for one night. 

~

Guy Fawkes Night brought with it not a bonfire, but fireworks and birthday cake for Lorcan (11 minutes older) and Lysander. 

During their final days in the States, the Potters celebrated Thanksgiving. This turkey-themed holiday was all about acknowledgement of the past, gratitude for the present and hope for the future. 

Lily had come so far, but she had so much further to go.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all the JK Rowling controversy, I doubt that the names of the final wizarding schools will be revealed. At this point, fanon is bound to be more authentic. As such, I’ve begged, borrowed and stolen ideas from all over the internet and added my own interpretations. In particular, I used the names of the final ‘big three’ schools created by MKOFFICIAL357 on the HP fanon wiki. Check out “The Durmstrang Exchange” and “Cho’s Oriental Adventure” here on A03 for some amazing stories about the wizarding world. Also, see alltheladiesyouhate on Tumblr and GammaAlanna on Reddit for some wonderful headcanons.

As the evening light faded, a trio of voices pierced the silence at Godric’s Hollow. Lily discarded her maths worksheet and hurried into the kitchen. 

Seated at the table was none other than her auntie Hermione. The bushy-haired witch looked exhausted, but she smiled broadly at her niece’s arrival. 

Lily was ten years old now, with shoulder length auburn hair, freckles and round, tortoiseshell glasses. Wearing stripy leggings and a sparkly t-shirt that said I Believe in Magic, she balanced with the help of her customary AFOs and purple forearm crutches. 

To what do we owe the pleasure?” As the teapot came to the boil, Harry offered up a plate of chocolate biscuits. 

Dressed in her work robes, Hermione had evidently come straight from London. As winter approached, so did the election. The Wizengamot had put forth a handful of worthy candidates to succeed Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had sat for a record three terms. So far, the Granger-Weasley campaign was a success. 

Hermione took one, dunking it in her mug before turning to Ginny. “Well, I finally got around to talking with someone from the Office of Magical Education about homeschooling…” 

~

Lily sighed. It was bad enough that after all this time her parents were having doubts about sending her to Hogwarts. Why couldn’t they just keep it quiet? The youngest Potter child dreaded the thought of Hugo finding out that she would be stuck in boring old Godric’s Hollow for seven years while he spent every day exploring the ancient castle and grounds. 

Hermione was business-like, as usual, extracting several pamphlets from her handbag. “As with primary education, the Ministry sets annual targets for academic achievement in core subjects. Wand usage is to be strictly limited to lessons, which must be undertaken by a qualified wizard. All students are required to undertake the OWLs.” 

As her parents poured over the new information Lily flopped into a chair, utterly dejected, burying her head in her arms. 

Her Mum tried to reassure her that they were merely considering options; homeschooling had its upsides, she could work at her own pace in a familiar environment and her studies would not be limited to the Hogwarts curriculum. 

Hermione reminded her that homeschooling was the norm for thousands of young witches and wizards around the world. Hogwarts only caters for 93% of the population of Britain & Ireland.” 

Of course, Lily knew that there were children across the country who did not attend Hogwarts. Indeed, her friend Asha was taught by specialist tutors. This was because Asha was Deaf; she would need to be taught non-verbal magic through sign language. But why shouldn’t Lily go to boarding school? 

“Maybe I could go to Beauxbatons or Durmstrang instead?” Lily murmured. 

Shaking her head, Hermione explained. “England is not within the Beauxbatons catchment zone; Durmstrang requires students to speak fluent German.” 

Her aunt conjured up a copy of Wizarding Education Around the World and suggested that she do some research. 

~

Perhaps it was a ploy to get Lily out of the way, but she had to admit it was a fascinating book. 

Hogwarts was the smallest of the major schools; for fifty years enrollment numbers had remained relatively low due to dangerous happenings at the school. But after the wizarding war the student body doubled, with three times the teaching staff. 

Beauxbatons placed an emphasis on the fine arts and graduates excelled in Charms. Latin was used in Spellwork. Students’ academic performance was ranked according to the alchemical metals, with lead being the lowest and gold the highest. 

Applications to Durmstrang came from across Europe. Traditionally, invitations to the Institute were reserved for those from old wizarding families. Students followed a strict physical regime in sub-zero temperatures. They were known for their mastery of Ancient Runes.

In response to the exclusion of Muggle-borns from the school, Ministries across Central, Northern and Eastern Europe had developed a system whereby children from non-magical families were hosted by local magical families who opposed such prejudice and were willing to educate the Muggle-borns alongside their own children. 

Similarly to their Scandinavian rivals, the students of Koldovstoretz chose specific disciplines after several years of basic training and taught spellwork in Ancient Greek. The Russian School was known for producing excellent potioneers. 

Muggle Studies was a speciality at Ilvermorny, because one of the founders was a No-Maj. Instead of the OWLs students took the CATs in the spring of their sixth year. 

The Brazilian wizarding school was not a “wizard’s castle”, but a treetop sanctuary in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest. The translation was ironic. As with the oldest of the magical institutions, the true name of the school was only known to its attendees, and ancient magic meant that only they could find its exact location. Castelobruxo was renowned for an outstanding Herbology department. 

Uagadou was to be found in the Ruwenzori Mountains of Uganda. Classes were carried out in Swahili, with students excelling at Transfiguration. A number of older students succeeded in Animagi transformations, though when in human form they wore white robes. 

At Mahoutokoro, wizarding children attended as young as six years old, learning reading, writing and arithmetic. At twelve years old, Muggle-borns were accepted from across the country. The Japanese were known for their martial magic, with many accomplished duellists wielding cherry wands. 

Xíngtiān Academy of Magic was located somewhere along the Yangtze River in China. First years from across South-East Asia were placed in groups named after the thirteen dynasties. Classes were taught in Mandarin, with students showing particular aptitude for the art of Divination. 

Kaarmana Institute of Magic was located in the Himalayas, accepting students from across the Indian Subcontinent. Students donned orange robes to learn spellwork in Sanskrit. Similarly to most of the other prestigious Asian schools, wandless magic was the norm. 

Woolmallu College of Sorcery was founded off the coast of Queensland in 1793. Children from across Oceania were sorted into four Houses, based on the Southern Cross constellation. They wore teal robes, excelling at Care of Magical Creatures. 

These were the eleven most prestigious institutions. The International Confederation of Wizards only recognised co educational boarding schools which had been teaching magic to adolescents for 150 years or more. 

But in Baghdad and Jerusalem there were places of learning that were open to people of all ages, combining religious teaching with wizardry. 

Some children went to smaller, contemporary day schools scattered around the world. Others took part in correspondence courses or were taught to practice magic by the elders in their villages. 

In Rome, Athens and Alexandria there were the wizarding equivalents of universities filled with young adults pursuing fields such as magizoology, spell creation or defensive magic with the help of learned scholars. 

Reading about all this created a renewed longing in Lily, so much so that her heart ached.

~

Emerging from her room a while later, she approached her parents in the kitchen. 

“Did you know that there are 142 staircases at Hogwarts?” Lily asked. 

Harry chuckled. “What are you, a walking encyclopaedia?” 

Busying herself with folding a tea towel, Ginny did not smile. “I hardly think it matters, love.” 

They only had one staircase at Godric’s Hollow after all and even then, Lily’s bedroom was on the ground floor. Stair climbing did not come naturally to her, it was a hard-won skill achieved with a lot of trial and error. 

“I agree. I mean, I wouldn’t be going there to climb stairs...I’d be going to learn magic, just like everyone else.” There was a tenacious glint in her brown eyes. 

Watching her, Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance. “We just want you to succeed, petal. If you think Hogwarts is the place to do that, we will support you.” 

Lily beamed, holding back tears of joy. “Thank you! Thank you so much!” 

She had known she was different. But now she had the chance to be extraordinary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve loved telling these story of Lily’s life so far. Thanks so much for your support over the past year. I’d love to write about her years at Hogwarts, but it’s a major commitment I’m not ready to make just yet. Still, you never know when inspiration will strike, so keep an eye on my profile!


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